Contemporary Instrumental Review: Pam Asberry-Unraveling

Release Date: April 15, 2022

Label:  Independent

Website

The last album I heard from Pam Asberry was the 2017 release Seashells In My Pocket. The Unraveling is now on for my listening pleasure. You look at time differently with each passing year. It is a concept, a segment of our lives. Life is concise in the grand scheme of things, and then we are stardust once again.

Everyone has a different perception of the virus that changed our lives forever. It is year three, and we still are getting infected. Musical artists have been depicting this time in their music, and Pam Asberry took advantage of the time to create another exceptional recording. All music was composed and performed by the artist.

You have a story told through music, one creator, and one instrument. The solo piano work of the artist is moving and compelling for many moods. While you feel the “Storm Clouds Gather” and the “Unraveling” begins, you can go to “Dark Places.” That was reality for us all in different measures. While you hold the absolute music of Pam’s talented fingers via the keys of her piano, you can feel the emotion flowing. There were times when Pam found time to do things while waiting for renewal, and then the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic would creep in. She went into the “Dark Places” and the “Unraveling” of our lives, and hers hit hard. Then the bright spots were more poignant when the time was allowed to find sweet things from the past like “Tattered Lace” from passed members of her family.

Listening felt different because Pam gave me a look behind the music. It makes an enormous difference following along with the storyline when listening. With tracks like “Polaris”, I heard optimism and the promise of light on another path to renewal. Thinking about that momentarily gave me pause to reflect upon the present and glance back at the past. One foot in front of the other is the goal here, and we only have today; we do not know what tomorrow will bring. I am ok with that these days and grateful for life and ready for what it brings. 

Unraveling keeps it real for all us listeners. I always manage to find my true self in this music. Part of the reason that happens is that it is all instrumental; thus, you focus more on thoughts than any words, and in turn, the music provides the terms formulated inside me. I believe this is paramount with any relaxation or meditative music. 

There are different packages offered for this recording for many music lovers, such as a companion sheet music book for all you piano players. Thanks for allowing us listeners to hear your story set to music, Pam. It may have been an Unraveling, but you sure made it all so beautiful with your music in the sad, dark, and uplifting parts of the story; it all folded together nicely. Once again, behind the clouds is the sun shining brightly, and the music reveals it.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

May 23, 2022

Tracks:

01. Storm Clouds Gather (3:23)

02. Unraveling (3:49)

03. Bluebird (3:08)

04. Tattered Lace (2:51)

05. Dark Places (3:47)

06. Goodbye Again (2:50)

07. Labyrinth (2:43)

08. Saudade (2:35)

09. Polaris (2:50)

10. This Time with You (3:14)

11. Metamorphosis (3:42)

New Age - Ambient Instrumental: Meg Bowles-Pilgrimage

Release Date: May 20, 2022

Label:  Independent

Website

Meg Bowles's newest release, Pilgrimage, is her eighth proper solo album. She explores her talents in a more cinematic ambient-orchestral style than previous releases.  

Some of the instruments used to create this project were Pigments 3 (Arturia), Omnisphere 2 (Spectrasonics), Bioscape (Luftrum), Pharlight (Native Instruments), and Stratus (Olafur Arnalds/Spitfire Audio). Meg said, "Bioscape was particularly interesting to work with. It is a library-based upon field recordings and other found sounds, which can be heavily manipulated and layered, creating these dimensional, other-worldly environments and spaces. The second track, "Cave of Secrets," begins with Bioscape, with a combination of drones, drips, and wind—all suggestive of a dark, subterranean space." This was some exciting information to attain from the artist, and I am sure all the tech-heads will love it.

I did a Google search on the term or concept of a Pilgrimage:

A pilgrimage is a devotional practice consisting of a long journey toward a specific destination of significance, often undertaken on foot or horseback. It is an inherently transient experience, removing the participant from their home environment and identity.

You are putting that train of thought into an experiential musical way. It can be considered several different things by each listener. My perception and belief are where the artist is coming from with this music are within my words. How I heard it is the music fills up space and time so that the audio frequencies and ambient nature of the sounds come together and remove the earthly attachments or physical being from the current area, pushing you gently to another plane of existence. A meditative and relaxed state of mind changes your surroundings' concepts in more simple terms. You then go inside your mind into a different frame of reference and go inward to explore your feelings and emotions and find a path to heal and renew your spirit, thus giving you more energy physically.

I know that may sound complex, but it is not; it's simple. I relate it conceptually to how I listen and process the music. If one thinks about that for a while, you could explain things in the same way with a different set of words. Music that gets your attention can compel you to understand why it was created and finding out something about the artist is a good start. Understanding the release's title and feeling what the cover's image says, then you are well on your way to a journey of expectant color, ambiance, relaxation, focus, and a sense of well-being you cannot seem to find anywhere else.

There is not one track under six minutes, and the magnum opus, which could serve as one meditation session, is "Mountains Reaching for Stars," which clocks in at 12:44. I find myself melting into this music with tracks like that as I absorb it while putting together my thoughts and translating them to words. Time is a factor, hence why each track runs for the longer time span. It gives you the time to get comfortable and let yourself be guided by the sounds, clear your mind and hopefully internalize the good vibrations.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

May 20, 2022

Track List:

1. Ancient Paths

2. Cave of Secrets

3. Cloudburst Over a Parched Land

4. Mountains Reaching for Stars

5. Luminous Garden of Repose

6. Source of Enduring Light

Instrumental New Age Review: Christina Tourin-IONA Inspirations - Healing Music

Release Date: September 1, 2010

Label:  Emerald Harp Productions

Website

Christina Tourin said about her new release IONA Inspirations - Healing Music - “The music truly depicts the voyage to this little island - that of EICSE - where the veil is thin on the brink of the waters.” She plays the harp quite beautifully, and she also teaches it and has a website with plenty of information on that. And no, the release date is not a typo!

Christina takes history buffs, writers, and harp loving people to the island each year then this music gives them some history and flavor of the island. So that was the main motivation in releasing the recording once again as she gets ready to bring groups of people again on that journey.

Along with the harp, several other instruments are in the mix, including guitar, keyboards, flute, cello, pennywhistle, Scots Gaelic, and chants. If you were wondering like I was, Scottish Gaelic, also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic and both Irish and Manx developed out of Old Irish. Compared to English, it sounds foreign. I am far from a language expert; I had to look it up. For example, it sounds very ancient compared to someone with a heavy Irish accent.

As one would imagine, this music is very soothing because of the harp; however, the mixture of other instruments is a nice touch. It gives it a new age world sound with many facets courtesy of the harp accompanied by the aforementioned additions. You will experience an hour and fifteen minutes of pure sounds that will delight, relax your mind and body, and enlighten your spirit. The music on this recording fits that description very well, and although it is pretty eclectic, I would still call it a new-age instrumental, with a bit of added spice and variety, if you will. You may find “The Well of Eternal Youth” inside the music.

Tracks like “Stone” feature that wonderful blend of many instruments like the flute, guitar, and cello that give the music an air of mystery and lure. I can envision the pied piper playing his flute, guiding you into the deep forest. It would be a great soundtrack to an ancient story handed down over the centuries. “White Mare” is one of the airier light-hearted acoustic jazz-infused guitar tracks with the harp. There are many sounds interwoven that make it dreamy.

The music on IONA Inspirations - Healing Music represents so many things, and it will be different for each individual, which I say a lot; however, it is essential to bring up that fact that supports the power and freedom of music and what it brings to us all. There is always more to it than songs without words. You have to let the music take you there, look at the artwork on the album cover, look at the track titles and follow along as you listen. Therein lies the story, your story in the music. It is a beautiful thing that brings me so much joy every time it happens.

IONA Inspirations - Healing Music will be a gift to yourself. It is Christina Tourin’s personal story of her trip to Iona Island off the western coast of Scotland in 2007. She does a fantastic job of painting the pictures of her visit through the music. The production values are excellent throughout the recording. That is incredibly important to any release but more crucial to a primarily instrumental group of songs (except the ancient tongue offered on a few tracks). There are many layers of instruments and sounds to consider making production much more complex, and the final mix is paramount in bringing all of those sounds to you in full bloom.

The CD comes with a nice booklet providing plenty of information about the music and what was behind it all. You will discover a complete experience if you get the CD.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 4, 2022 

Tracks:

01. In The Glow   6:21
02.  St. Columba’s Vision 4:43
03. Images 5:56
The Fairy Mound /Lammy O   
04. Iona of My Heart 3:16
05. The Well of Eternal Youth 3:39
06. Stones 6:36
07. Wild Geese   4:13
08. White Mare   4:07
09. Hermit Cell   3:08
10. White Strand of the Monks 2:13
11. Wonder 3:25
12. Blackbird 3:22
13. Fingal’s Cave and The Sea   4:29
14. Sky’s Invitation 9:51
15. Blessings On Iona 9:00
          Bunessan (Morning Has Broken)
          Iona Blessings
          May The Roads Rise Up

New Age Instrumental Review:Tron Syversen-A New Spring

Release Date: April 27, 2022 Digital/May 27, 2022 CD

Label:  Tron Music

Website

Tron Syversen has quite the recorded collection of music available on his website. A New Spring is his latest work. We look back on Winter as another season with different views once that is upon us. Some folks dread it, move south to warmer climates, and return after the orange-breasted robin's return. That bird and its song remind us that life can also be migratory.

This music brings those thoughts and feelings into focus. I look at the beautiful things Winter can be, and on the other side, the danger that awaits one if you are not paying attention.

Tron's music is atmospheric and soothing as watching the buds on the tree on the album cover coming to life and blossoming. If you live through the four seasons, each has its beauty and offerings to those wishing to embrace it. And the music is relatively easy to feel at home with. The tinkling of the keys from Tron to the lovely wordless vocalizations of Helene Edler is magical. Each pulls you into its separate journey of unspoken scenery. The track names are self-explanatory, and the music follows the pictures that come to life with the color and spirituality in your heart, mind, and soul. Helene’s angelic vocals are the axiomatic icing on the cake. Her talents are rendered with excellence as they embrace the music and become one with its purpose.

Tron has a lot of talent behind his piano and keyboards with violin, electric violin, cello, guitars, bass, English horn, flute, and soprano sax. I have listed all the contributors below.

Listeners can go from moments of "Surrender" to the chill of "February," then to the "Melting Snow," then reach back to the beginning of the recording to relive the "Dancing Butterflies." A New Spring is the poetry of life that we all share. We are witness to all of these songs of life, and hopefully, we all find our "True Love," whether that a person, a furry friend, or your life's work, those expressive words can apply to so many different things during our lives here on earth.

A New Spring reminds me of all the beauty and what mother nature gives us during all the seasons. They can apply to the different periods we travel through on our paths to the Winter of our soul. These "Magic Waves" of music created by the gifted artist Tron Syversen will find appreciation by many listeners. It is all original music arranged by the artist, making it much more valid and noteworthy.

I find peace and refuge inside the music, which is the idea you will hear in A New Spring.

Credits:
Voice: Helene Edler
Violin: Agnes Hoffart
Electric violin: Sunniva Tomter
Cello: Silje Katrine Gotaas
Guitars: Rolf Kristensen,
Harald Fjelde (2, 7) and Elin Løkken (4)
Bass: Per Elias Drabløs
English Horn: Henrik Eurenius
Flute: Elin Kathrine Thorkildsen
Soprano Saxophone: Arne Egnesvoll
Piano/Keyboards: Tron Syversen
Music and arrangements: Tron Syversen

 Tracks:

1. Dancing Butterflies (6:59)
2. Melting Snow (5:42)
3. Blossom of the Heart (7:21)
4. Surrender (5:27)
5. February (6:18)
6. Magic Waves (6:08)
7. Evening Breeze (7:16)
8. True Love (6:32)


Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 27, 2022

Contemporary Instrumental Review: Lynn Tredeau - Reflection

Release Date: June 10, 2022

Label:  Independent

Website

Instrumental solo piano is many things, solitude, simplicity, one focus, and I am sure some people could think of a lot more. While it may feel different and hold diverse meanings, there is one commonality it can bring, peace and tranquility.

The music of Lynn Tredeau fits nicely into that frame of reference. Her latest release, Reflection, allows a listener to do just that. The music leads you and prompts you to reflect on what is inside your heart and mind.

There are some very descriptive track titles such as “The Passing of Time,” “Washed Away,” and “Celebration.” They have a meaning to the performer and can easily translate to a listener. You could be “Meandering” and find yourself “Deep In The Forest” as mother nature takes over and you are listening to “What The Rain Said.” Stories weaved into the fabric of audio frequencies, colors, and sounds are what good music can accomplish.

As every picture tells a story, like the cover featuring the Northern Lights, every note played highlights the words used to describe the music. The twelve tracks of solo piano offered on Reflection is an example of singular beauty created by an artist with the talent to manipulate the ivory keys.
 

Lynn Tredeau  is a talented pianist, and it was good to revisit her talents. The last time I had the pleasure of covering her music was in 2018 for the Fellowship of Solitude. I find sadness in this kind of music because it makes me reflect on my life and the people who have come and gone. Especially family members. For some reason, the music always finds a place in my heart that needs expression. There were no significant changes in the flow that would affect my mood that I would describe as a variable with this album. I think it’s best to say it felt like melancholy with elements of introspection. That is a tribute to the gently persuading style the artist offers. It is consistent throughout, thus giving me those strong feelings for most of the listen. I need to say it was all lovely, and it just affected me a certain probably because I heard it for the first time on Easter and missed so many people. The last track, “Celebration,” was quite uplifting in many ways and an excellent way to close out the album.

Reflection was therapeutic for me, and because it brought about feelings of sadness does not mean I did not enjoy it. I did derive a lot of satisfaction from listening because there was truth and honesty in the emotions I was going through. Music brings about awareness and a different way of thinking, and far as I am concerned, it was a success in every way.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 16, 2022

TRACK LISTING:
01. Tide Pools (4:33)
02. Someday, Somehow (3:22)
03. What the Rain Said (3:42)
04. Dreaming Tree (3:10)
05. Meandering (3:35)
06. Aspens of Targhee Mountain (3:03)
07. Deep in the Forest (4:36)
08 The Passing of Time (2:36)
09. Nomad (3:44)
10. The Road to There (3:34)
11. Washed Away (2:39)
12. Celebration (2:53)

New Age Ambient Instrumental Review: Rusty Crutcher-The Oracle of Delphi

Release Date: April 11, 2022

Label:  Emerald Green Sound Productions

Website

Rusty Crutcher’s recent release The Oracle of Delphi (from the sacred site series) does an excellent job of catching your eye and igniting your imagination with the cover art. Once you hear the music, you will understand how the art matches.

The new age ambient instrumental mixture on the ten tracks consists of many different sounds; you will hear duduk, pan pipes, flutes, choirs, kithara, water moving, mesmerizing bell-like sounds (singing bowl?), and swirling colors of ambiance riding on waves of synths. It is a compelling conglomeration of music that immediately sets you at ease for essential relaxation, reflection, or a meditative state.

Music such as this can ignite an inner flame that was barely flickering into an intense and consistent fire for the curious mind. I am naturally curious and love to learn every day if the opportunity arises. Certain sounds and vibrations in music can change our brain waves and mindset entirely. That is a scientific fact, and I believe it happens to me quite frequently. I do feel a strong sense of gratitude to artists like Rusty Crutcher.

I took some time to look at Rusty’s Facebook page, and you can tell what this man is all about. His profile reflects a soul in harmony with himself and his surroundings. And most certainly, this beauty is reflected in all the music presented on The Oracle of Delphi.

Wikipedia: Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness. The name Pythia is derived from Pytho, which in myth was the original name of Delphi. Referenced on track #7 with “Pythia’s Trance.”

Ancient Greek mythology is often a subject matter and driving factor to recordings. It is a fascination for many of us. It makes you wonder how much of it is true. Where do the stories originate? Did they suddenly appear in someone’s mind and then take on a life all their own? Or were the ancient god’s beings from another planet sent here to watch over us and guide us? The music can take you to many places. Perhaps the entire idea of this recording, besides letting you relax, is to engage your thought process to think about the possibilities of what each track title prompts you to ponder.

The Oracle of Delphi offers each listener beautiful music to let the day wash away and clear your mind. It is a soundtrack to the past with music for now and in the future. However, if you are anything like me, you find quite a bit to think about once you look at the artwork, the titles, and take in all the music that brings all of those aural sensations to you and invite you to another plane of existence gently.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 12, 2022

Tracks:
01. Miriams Wish                
02. Itea Bound               
03. Aegean Reflections        
04.Song of the Muses        
05. Apollo Awakens            
06. Center of the World        
07. Pythia’s Trance            
08. Vapors of Apollo            
09. Castalian Breeze              
10. Know Thyself

Contemporary Instrumental Review: Samer Fanek-Call of the Desert

Release Date: April 30, 2022

Label:  Independent

Website

I have witnessed growth and maturation with each release I have had the pleasure to listen to from Samer Fanek. With Call of the Desert, this young and vibrant pianist reaches back to his roots and creates an astonishing array of tracks.

Samer’s music is very cinematic and so vital to the core of his message. He wants to go back to the Middle East and perform this music. His homeland of Jordan inspired this music and longing to go back there. Such inspiration and beauty lie within the heart of every human. It comes from the heart to the fingers through the piano.

I felt the honesty of this music, and the excitement that gave me chills from the start. “Call of the Desert - Part I” brings you to Jordan within seconds. It gets more interesting musically with lovely orchestrations to accentuate the elegant piano playing from that point on.

“Into The Sun” is as picturesque as the cover art. However, the sun is going down to relieve those people from the intense desert heat. At the end of the journey is a piano and palm tree off to the side. Is this a mirage for those weary travelers? I think not. The music is convincing, and you are there right in the middle of that scenery created by Samer’s music.

Call of the Desert is Samer’s most inspired and ambitious work. The equation is simple; home is where the heart is. It will be good for everyone to hear this music. I know here in the U.S. that a different picture is painted of the Middle East thanks to the media and social platforms. Every home and country has its unique beauty to its inhabitants. With this music, perhaps we all can see that more clearly. We can take the first exit down the right road as we cast aside any preconceived ideas or thoughts pushed onto us 24/7. Samer can be our guiding light to a world we can only imagine in our minds. He knows through his past experiences what Jordan is and what it means to his people. With that knowledge and heartfelt expression, he conveys it all beautifully.

Tracks like “The Old Arabic Shop” are reflective and have a sweetness. And indeed, through the eyes of the beholder and his memories, we can envision what he remembers. “Pleading to You” is full of emotion, and the track title could mean many things. I know that the music sounds like it asks you to listen and absorb the sounds and colors of a world far away from where you sit now. Samer brings it all to life instantaneously through his music.

“Desert Rush” is full of movement and drama as you take the arduous journey over the unknown desert landscape. The excitement is a rush of adrenaline you have never experienced before.

The recording ends dramatically with “Call of the Desert - Part II,” as Samer’s gentle touch lends a sublime beauty to some masterful keyboard magic that you just enjoyed. I know this would sound so amazing on vinyl LP. It was so consuming as I listened to it all. I felt like I was in a storybook about a land I did not know. It does not seem so far away after listening to Call of the Desert anymore.

Capturing another country’s atmosphere and a young man’s memories inside the music is an outstanding achievement. In this excellent release, Samer Fanek has recreated everything about Jordan in his heart and mind. It will capture your imagination, I promise.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 11, 2022

Tracks:

01. Call of the Desert - Part I
02. Nighttime Celebrations
03. Where Did the Time Go?
04. Into the Sun
05. The Old Arabic Shop
06. Dramatic Encounters
07. Mediterranean Moments
08. Pleading to You
09. Desert Rush
10. Call of the Desert - Part II